Auction recording device



Oct. 27, 1936. A. H. BJORLEE AUCTION RECORDING DEVICE 2 Sheets-Sheel:l 1

Filed July 13, 1935 Oct. 27, 1936. A. H. BJORLEE AUCTION RECORDING DEVICE Filed July 13, 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Oct. 27, 1936 VUNITED srArss iATENT OFFICE 2 Claims.

My present invention relates to improvements in recording devices and particularly to improvements in my recording device illustrated and described in my previous Patent No. 1,498,948 on Auction-sale recorders issued June 24, 1924.

While my device disclosed in the above mentioned patent has been highly successful, it is a general object of my present invention to provide novel and useful improvements therein capable of considerably increasing the ease, convenience and rapidity with which the device may be used.

An object of my invention is to provide means permitting removal of index cards from the front of my recording device.

Another object is to provide a movable record sheet holding and writing surface member with hand-rest means associated therewith.

Yet another object is to provide an improved index card holding means.

Still another object is to provide an improved duplicating record sheet and card assembly.

These and other objects and advantages of the invention will be more fully set forth in the following description made in connection with the J accompanying drawings, in which like reference characters refer to similar parts throughout the several views, and in which:-

Fig. l is a front View of my recording device;

Fig. 2 is another front view of my device with parts thereof differently disposed than in Fig. l;

Fig. 3 is a perspective View showing principally the front of the device with parts thereof disposed diiferently than in either Fig. 1 or Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a longitudinal sectional view;

Fig. 5 is a transverse sectional View taken along the line 5-5 of Fig. 2, as indicated by the arrows, and drawn to a larger scale;

Fig. 6 is a transverse sectional View taken along the line 6 6 of Fig. l, as indicated by the arrows, 40 and drawn to a larger scale;

Fig. '7 is a perspective spread-apart view of my improved duplicating sheet and card assembly, and

Fig. 8 is a perspective spread-apart View of my 45 improved index card assembly.

Referring to the drawings, my device consists in general of a casing or case C, preferably made of sheet material such as sheet metal, a plurality of duplicating record sheet and card assemblies R 50 and an index card assembly A all constructed and Iassociated with each other as will be described.

-The case C comprises a shallow rectangular pan having a bottom wall I0, longitudinal side walls 1I Ir, a front end wall I2,- and a rear end wall I3.

The longitudinal side walls II and the rear end wall i 3 respectively have inwardly projecting narrow flanges IIa, and |364 disposed parallel to the bottom wall I. The flanges IIa on the longitudinal side walls il constitute ways upon which a longitudinally movable member I4 to be described may be slidably mounted.

The movable member I4 consists of a rectangular sheet or plate of material, such as metal having a width substantially equal to or preferably slightly less than the width of the case C and a length substantially less than and preferably slightly over half as great as the length of the case C. The plate I4 is disposed at the upper side of the case C with its longitudinal marginal portions overlying the respective ways comprised by the flanges Ila, on the longitudinal side walls of the case C. Guide strips Illa having longitudinal free portions underlying the anges IIa are secured to the under side of the plate I4 in parallel relation to and extending through substantially the forward halves of the respective longitudinal marginal portions thereof so that the flanges Ila are disposed between portions of the forward half of the plate I4 and the free portions of the respective guide strips. From the above it is obvious that the plate I4 is mounted on the case C with freedom for longitudinal sliding movement with respect thereto. The plate i4 constitutes a partial top wall for the case C and its upper side constitutes a base of resistance or writing surface upon which sheet material to write on may be placed. The rearward edge of the plate I4 is provided with a beaded flange I 4b to serve as a lingerhold for convenience in moving the plate I4.

Means is provided on the plate I4 for holding thereon sheets of material to be written on. For this purpose rings I5 of a suitable type for holding loose-leaf sheets are secured to the plate I4 at spaced laterally aligned points substantially midway of the length of the plate I4 as shown. The rings I5 illustrated are hinged at |50. and provided with a tongue and socket joint at |517 so that the rings I5 may be opened to permit placement thereon or removal therefrom of sheets having suitably spaced apertures therethrough.

A plurality of duplicating record sheet and card assemblies R, one of which is shown in Fig. 7, are placed upon the pair of rings I5 in the manner of loose leaf sheets. Each assembly R consists of a card I6, a sheet I'I of carbon paper, a record sheet I 8 and removable fastening means such as the gummed paper elements I9. The card I is of somewhat less length than the width of the plate I4 and of somewhat less width than lil half of the length of the plate I4. The sheet I1 of carbon paper is folded once with its carboned side facing inwardly and is of such dimensions that each of the two halves thereof separated by the fold is of the same dimensions as the card I6. The card IG is placed between the halves of the sheet I1 of carbon paper. The record sheet I8, which is of the same dimensions and is folded in the same manner as the carbon sheet I1, is placed over the carbon sheet I1 as shown. The free edges of the record sheet I 3 and carbon sheet I1 are compactly placed in closely adjacent relation with each other and the card Il? and are held in such relation by the gummed paper elements I9 which are made to adhere to the outer sides of the respective free edge marginal portions of the record sheet I8. The free edge marginal portion of the above described assembly is provided with apertures 2i! for the purpose of mounting the assembly on the rings i5. The outer side of the record sheet IS is preferably suitably ruled to accommodate the written data to be entered thereon and the respective sides of the card I5 may be provided with ruling similar to and registering with the ruling on the record sheet I8.

The space between the plate I4 and the bottom wall IU of the case C contains the index card assembly A. The index card assembly consists of a plurality of rectangular index cards 2I and top and bottoni cover cards 22 and 23 arranged in a stack as shown in Fig. 8. The cover cards 22 and 23 have integral rectangular anchoring tabs 22a and 23d projecting forwardly from the medial portions of their respective forward edges. A narrow strip 24 of sheet material, preferably of the same width as the anchoring tabs 22a and 23a, is disposed between each of the index cards 2| and the card next adjacent, as shown, and has a forward end portion 24a disposed between the cover card anchoring tabs 22a and 23a and serving as an anchoring element or tab for the strip 24. The stack of anchoring tabs 22a, 23a, and 24a are secured together by adhesive material, wire staples or any other suitable means to form an anchoring member. The anchoring member so formed is provided with an aperture 25. As should be apparent from the above description the index cards 2I are not secured either to the cover cards 22 and 23 or to the strips 245. but are each free for individual rearward sliding movement relative to the remaining parte of the index card assembly A.

Each of the index cards 2| is provided with a rearwardly projecting tab 2Ia suited for placing of identiication indicia thereon and having an aperture ZID therethrough. The tabs 2Ia of the respective index cards 2| are not similarly located thereon but are successively staggered so that none of the tabs 2Ia may be hidden from View by others of the tabs 2Ia. The index cards 2| may be and preferably are suitably ruled to provide spaces in which written matter may be entered.

The index card assembly A described above is placed between the plate I4 and the bottom Wall I0 of the case C with the free end of the anchoring member closely adjacent the forward end wall I2 of the case C and opposite marginal portions of the assembly underlying the flanges IIa on the side walls II of the case C. The tabs 2Ia of the record cards 2l project toward the rear wall I3 of the case C.

For releasably anchoring the index card assembly A in the normal position thereof described above an anchoring pin 26 is mounted on the bottom wall of the case C to project upwardly therefrom through the aperture of the anchoring member of the index card assembly A.

With the plate I4 slid to its forwardmost position, the rearward edge thereof and portions of the case C dene a window above the forward edge of which the tabs 2Ia of the index cards 2I appear as shown in Fig. 3. If it is desired to slide one of the index cards 2l from its normal position to a position wherein its major portion is accessible, the point of a pencil P may be inserted in the aperture 2lb in the tab 2Ia of the desired card 2i whereupon the pencil P may be used to draw the card 'ZI rearwardly to an exposed position as shown in Fig. 2. To guide the point of a pencil P in such an operation the bottom wall Ill of the case C is so shaped as to provide a series oi' longitudinally extending guide grooves Illa located respectively in alignment with the various ones of the apertures 2Ib in the index card tabs 2Ia.

As previously explained, the plate I4 is free for sliding movement. Also, to make use of both sides of the record card assemblies R, the assembl;1 R to be written on may be turned rearwardly as in Figs, 2 and 3 to expose one side and l`orwardly as in Fig. l to expose the other side. When turned rearwardly as in Figs. 2 and 3 the forward half of the plate I4 may be used as a :f

hand-rest when writing. Means is provided for use as a hand-rest when the record card assembly to be written on is turned forwardly as in Fig. l. To this e-nd a hand rest plate 21 is positioned at the forward end of the top side of U the case C immediately below the plate I4 so as to form in effect a forwardly projecting extension of the plate I4 when the plate I4 is po sitioned as shown in Fig. 1. The forward edge of the hand-rest plate 21 is connected to the upper and forward corner of the case in outwardly Swingable relation thereto by means of a hinge structure 21a. To support the hand-rest plate 21 in a position as closely adjacent the lower side of the plate I4 as possible supporting pins 2in are provided mounted on and projecting downwardly from the lower side of the hand-rest plate 21 to rest at their lower ends on the bottom wall Il) of the case C. The hand-rest plate 21 is preferably made of resilient material and the pins 21h are of such length that the spring-like action of the portion of the plate 2l disposed rearwardly of the pins 2lb will cause the rear edge of the plate 21 to press resiliently upwardly against the lower side of the plate I4.

Stop means is provided to normally limit movement of the plate I4. The forward edge of the plate I4 is bent downwardly and upon itself to form a rearwardly facing shoulder I4c. The medial part of the rear edge portion of the hand-rest plate 21 is slit at two points to form a rectangular tongue and this tongue is bent upwardly and then upon itself to form a forwardly facing shoulder 21e adapted for engagement with the shoulder I4c on the plate I4. Normally the plate I4 is in a position where it overlaps the hand-rest plate 21 so that the shoulders I4c and 21o face each other and constitute cooperating stop elements preventing rearward movement of the plate I4 beyond the position thereof shown in Fig. 1. When further rearward movement of the plate I4 is desired, as for access to the index card assembly A in replacing the same, downward pressure on the rear portion of the hand-rest plate 21 will swing the shoulder 21e out of the path of the shoulder I4c to permit such further movement.

The hinge structure 21a projects slightly above the top of the case C and serves as a stop with which the forward end of the plate I4 engages to prevent forward movement of the plate I4 beyond the position thereof shown in Figs. 2 and 3.

My device is primarily intended for use in recording the transactions involved in auction sales and is particularly adapted for use out of doors where wind and other Weather conditions would ordinarily make the task of recording quite difficult if loose sheets, cards and carbon sheets were used. In accordance with the intended method of use of my device the index card assembly A and a suitable number of duplicating record sheet and card assemblies R are prepared and placed in normal operative relation with the remaining parts of the device at a convenient time and place prior to use of the device for recording.

Preferably the various record sheet and card assemblies R are consecutively numbered for convenient identication and indexing and the tabs Zia of the index cards 2| are marked with the letters of the alphabet in consecutive order.

The pertinent data concerning the transactions carried on in the auction sale and the amounts involved are entered on the record sheets I8 in the order in which the transactions are carried on. Each purchaser is assigned a column or space on the one of the index cards 2I identified by the letter of the alphabet corresponding to the first letter of his name and, in this column or space each transaction in which he is involved is represented by writing the amount involved in the transaction and the number of the record sheet on which the data pertaining to that transaction are entered. When the auction sale is completed the total amount to be paid by each purchaser may be quickly ascertained by totalling the amounts entered on the index card under the purchasers name. At any desired time after the auction sale the duplicating record sheet and card assemblies R may be taken apart. The record sheets I8 will of course bear the original entries and the record cards I6 will have on the respective sides thereof carbon copies of the entries appearing on respective halves of the record sheets I8.

From the above it should be apparent that use of my device in recording does not involve the handling of any loose sheets, cards or carbon sheets. Also it should be apparent that the device may be easily and conveniently used by a person wearing gloves.

While my device has been described in connection with its use for recording transactions in auction sales it should be obvious that the device is well adapted for use in recording data of many other types.

It is app-arent that I have invented novel and useful improvements in the auction sale recorder shown in my previous Patent No. 1,498,948 greatly increasing the ease and convenience with which the device may be used.

It will, of course, be understood that various changes may be made in the form, details, proportions and arrangement of the parts, without departing from the scope of my invention, which, generally stated, consists in a device capable of carrying out the objects above set forth and in the novel parts and combinations of parts disclosed and defined in the appended claims.

1. A recording device comprising a shallow, open-topped case, a iiat member affording a writing surface mounted on the upper portion of said case for sliding movement longitudinally thereof, said member being substantially shorter than said case, means on said writing surface for holding record sheets, the space within said case behind said member being adapted for containing index cards the upper portions of which are accessible when said member is in its forwardrnost position, and a plate projecting rearwardly from the upper forward corner of said case in substantially the same plane as said member for association therewith as a hand rest when said member is in positions other than its forwardmost position, said plate being swingably connected at its forward edge to the upper forward corner of said case whereby said plate may be swung outwardly when said member is in a rearwardly slid position to provide access to the interior of said case for placement of cards therein or removal of cards therefrom.

2. A recording device comprising a shallow, open topped case, a plate affording a writing surface mounted on the upper portion of said case for sliding movement longitudinally thereof, said plate being somewhat shorter than said case, rings for holding loose-leaf sheets mounted on the outer side of said plate, the space within said case behind said plate being adapted for containing record cards the upper portions of which are accessible when said plate is in its forwardmost position, a hand-rest plate hingedly connected at its forward edge to the upper forward corner of said case and normally lying parallel to and immediately below said first mentioned plate so as to be at least partially exposed when said first mentioned plate is slid rearwardly and releasable means for normally limiting forward movement of said rst mentioned plate relative to said handrest plate.

ANTON H. BJORLEE. 

